Repaving efforts close a section of Rupert Street, east of Fourth Avenue, as photographed on Oct. 12. Rupert Street will get curbs, a parking lane and a sidewalk as part of this construction. (X. Y. Zeng photo)

District of Hope staff updates council on paving efforts

Paving in the District of Hope continues, operations supervisor Kevin Dicken told council at the Oct. 10 meeting.

Dicken said they awarded the paving contract to Keywest Asphalt on Aug. 15, and that the District had a longer-than-usual tendering process because two of the three parties requested more time. As a result, they got a late start this year.

The plan is to do milling and paving on Coquihalla Street between Water Avenue and Sixth Avenue, and also various treatments on Sixth Avenue between Thacker Avenue and Old Hope Princeton Way.

Rupert Street will also see reconstruction between Wardle Street and Yale Street, which includes the addition of stormwater collection infrastructure.

“The contractor anticipates that component of Rupert Street will be complete this week,” said Dicken.

Rupert Street will also get curbs on both sides and a parking lane and a sidewalk on the south side. That sidewalk will create a continuous pedestrian path linking the sidewalks of Fourth Avenue to Yale Street.

Dicken also said they have replaced the 50-metre section of broken storm drains in front of the Hope Curling Club. The curbing has been poured there and the sidewalk will be completed soon. Thereafter, paving works on Sixth Avenue will be able to start at that location.

The District has budgeted $1,612,000 for the work, while the contract came in at $1,612,040 with a $100,000 contingency included.

“We are on budget, as a matter of fact, with some changes that we made, we are slightly under budget, so we haven’t dipped into the contingency at this point, so things are going well that way,” said Dicken.

Construction began on Sept. 11 on Coquihalla Street and estimated completion is Oct. 30, although that date depends on the weather’s co-operation. Dicken said paving requires a temperature of 6 C and rising, and that rainy weather has caused some disruptions with paving.

Coun. Scott Medlock asked if paving comes with a warranty, to which Dicken replied that there is not, although with a Master Municipal Construction Documents contract, it comes with a one-year maintenance period. Dicken said defects stemming from poor quality work will show up in the first year and that he feels satisfied with the work done so far.